Nap Lajoie - 1933 Goudey #106
1933 Goudey #106 Nap Lajoie
Not issued in 1933 packs: produced in 1934 and mailed only to collectors who wrote Goudey asking for the missing card (some mailings ran into 1935). The front uses the 1934 design over a 1933-style back. The set’s legendary chase card.
Card #106 is the set's legendary gap: Goudey skipped the number in 1933, and collectors chasing a complete set kept buying packs for a card that did not exist. After complaints, Goudey printed this Napoleon Lajoie card in 1934 — in the 1934 Goudey design — and mailed it only to collectors who wrote to the company. It never appeared in packs, and it remains one of the hobby's most celebrated rarities.
About Nap Lajoie
Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie (1874-1959) began as a semi-pro in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, then hit .429 for Fall River before the Philadelphia Phillies bought his contract in 1896. He jumped to the new American League in 1901, joining the Philadelphia Athletics and batting .426 - still the highest single-season average of the 20th century - while winning the AL's first Triple Crown with 14 home runs and 125 RBI. In 1902 he moved to Cleveland, whose club was renamed the "Naps" in his honor, the only time a major-league team was named for an active player; he managed the Naps from 1905 to 1909. A powerfully built second baseman known for effortless, graceful fielding, he won four or five career batting titles and battled Ty Cobb to the wire for the 1910 title. Teammates called him "Sandy" early on, to keep word of his ballplaying from his disapproving mother. Over 21 seasons he batted .338 with 3,242 hits, 83 home runs, 1,599 RBI, and 380 stolen bases in 2,480 games. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. By 1933 his playing career was long over; this card, issued only by mail to collectors who wrote in for it, is the set's most legendary rarity.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 86 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 32 | 7 |
| SGC | 46 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 6 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-03. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie card?
It is card #106 of the 1933 Goudey (R319) Baseball set - the 240-card, 2-3/8 by 2-7/8 inch color-art set issued in 1933 with Big League Chewing Gum. It pictures Nap Lajoie with the Cleveland Indians.
Why is the 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie #106 so rare?
Goudey never printed card #106 in 1933 - the gap kept collectors buying packs for a card that did not exist. After complaints, Goudey produced the Lajoie in 1934, in the 1934 Goudey design, and mailed it only to collectors who wrote to the company. It never appeared in packs.
Was card #106 issued in 1933 Goudey packs?
No. It was printed in 1934 and distributed by mail to collectors who wrote to Goudey, which is why checklists count 239 cards in the 1933 pack issue and why this card carries a 1934 date.
Is the 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie #106 a rookie card?
No. Only two cards in the set lack the modern rookie designation - Tris Speaker #89 and Nap Lajoie #106 - and this is one of them; both veterans had recognized earlier cards.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-04.